Norman Cinnamond, Church St., Cavan

THE death of Thomas Robert Norman Cinnamond, late of Church St Cavan, on Sunday, June 7 at Lisdarn Nursing Home was received with widespread regret. Aged 83 he was one of eight children of the late Ned and Isa (nee Pollock) Cinnamond who resided in Church St., Cavan. Norman"s life experiences took him to many parts of the world. After his early education at Cavan No 1 school and Cavan Vocational School, he joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) and after training saw active service in Egypt and Italy. In 1948, he joined Jackson"s Ford Dealership in Farnham St. and trained in their parts department, of which he subsequently became manager. He spent the remainder of his working life in this post and retired in 1992. Colleagues remember him as a gentleman, even-tempered, highly principled and a dedicated worker. Sporting interests Norman is remembered very warmly as a humble man of good humour and wit, and was involved in a number of local sporting and voluntary organisations. In his early years he played badminton, tennis and table tennis to a high amateur degree. The former Orange Hall in Farnham St (now the County Library) provided the venue for these activities. He was also a playing member of Cavan Rugby Club. In his mid-20s he took up game angling and came to excel in trout fly fishing, where he went on to fish as an Irish team member at many international matches. He also took an active part in organising the sport and served for many years on the Ulster Committee of the Irish Trout Fly Fishing Association. In 1981 he was appointed to the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board and served on that board for two five-year terms. As a member of Cavan Anglers Club, he was a powerhouse of ideas and organisation. Over the years he held every officer position in the club at some time, and as a delegate to the National Committee of the ITFFA, he was instrumental in restructuring the Association"s Competition Rules and having them adopted by the organisation. However his greatest contribution to sport may well have been his years involved with the County Cavan Golf Club. He joined in 1971 and served in almost all the leading roles in the club. He was captain in 1976, honorary secretary in 1978 and president in the years from 1993-95. However his most important role was that of handicap secretary for over 25 years up to the time of his final illness. His thoroughness in that large undertaking was remarkable in his handling of all the essentials for handicaps, fixtures and societies for each year and his mastering of the new computerised handicap system. In fact, he carried a huge responsibility as though it were easy and those who had to carry on where Norman left off in 2004 soon came to realise that the position of handicap secretary required such attention to detail that it would take more than one head and pair of hands to manage it. Norman was gifted in managing responsibilities and the late Philip Cullivan"s book 'A Century of Golf' gives credit where it was due to Norman as president during the 1994 Centenary Celebrations of Co Cavan Golf Club. All the members of Co Cavan club acknowledged the enormous work effort that Norman put in on their behalf and their appreciation of his work was shown after he became ill by their support. At this stage Norman was a long-stay patient in the Lisdarn Unit for the Elderly and he conceived the notion of doing a little fundraising for the nursing home and also for his beloved Golf Club. From his hospital bed, he organised a golf classic run annually over a period, which raised funds for both the Unit for the Elderly and the Golf Club. These events were supported in a magnificent way by the members of the golf club and angling fraternity. One other sport in which Norman was keenly involved was motor sport and was one of those closely involved in the establishment of Co Cavan Motor Club. Deep Gratitude The community in Cavan and further afield owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Norman and his family, who recall his skills as a fisherman. And in the sharing of his fishing days, one of his closest friends remarked about Norman"s custom of prayers on his knees by his bedside at night before retiring when he was away on one of his fishing trips. It is just another reminder of the benefit of early childhood experiences in his home in Church St and at Sunday School, as well as church services, afternoon bible classes and evening services shared between the Methodist (where his father belonged) and the Presbyterian Churches (where his mother was a member); between the two Norman was blessed to have been well nurtured in the scriptures which speak of God"s love for everyone. When his days of mobility and conversation were changed to days of immobility and limited speech, he was to come across Rev Jean Mackarel who became acquainted with Norman while on a hospital visit in 2004 and continued to visit him in Pathways and Lisdarn to the end. Norman is survived by his brothers, Mervyn, Frank and Ken and his sister, Isabel. Other members of the family who predeceased him were Ian, Ted and Edwina. The funeral took place from Cavan Presbyterian Church, Farnham St to the New Cemetery, There was a Guard of Honour of members of Co Cavan Golf Club and Co. Cavan Motor Club. May he rest in peace.